Love is a double-edged sword, blissful to those who found it under the right circumstances with the right person but destructive to those who succumbed to its power without thinking twice of the repercussions.

            A story of love unfolded within the confines of a performance hall—she was an aspiring musician who showed a promising career and he was a conductor who made a name for himself over the years. The woman adored the conductor’s work, she marveled at his stages and performances, dreamed of being a part of his team, and soon after, when she got to know the man in depth, the woman found herself deeply in love with him—but he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, ready to take advantage of her apprentice’s naivety. After all, she was young and beautiful and in love.

            For the woman, they made love, but for him, they had nothing but a simple . She built a world with him in her mind, a future that would lead to marriage and quite possibly a few kids, but for him, she was just another woman for the weekend. She went home thinking of him and his gentle touch. He went home to his wife. And out of all the stories he told her, he chose to leave that one out.

            It would have been a perfect love story, but it’s was just a story of love. And in this story, a child was made from one’s naivety and one’s lustful desires.

YEAR 4009

18 YEARS AGO

            On a cold winter night, a woman in her late twenties with jet black hair that ends right around her shoulders, and monolid eyes, walked around the vicinity of the Timekeeping Department building in Framont City—the city of the rich and where the arts is thriving. The woman goes by the name Eun So, and she’s currently the secretary for the timekeeping department of the whole Gleidor, tasked to monitor and oversee the timekeepers—those who analyze newborns’ DNA to determine how many years they’d live to see. It’s not an easy job, but it was an opportunity Eun So saw as an open door to finally carry out her plan of abolishing the system altogether. And so, she’s on her way to Excellence City by tomorrow to finally swear to her oath of power.

As this fact draws on her, the heaviness of the title takes a toll on the said woman, driving her to release a huff of air after a sip of coffee that was too strong for her liking. She winced at the after taste and continued to walk along the path beside the building, keeping one of her hands warm inside her coat pocket. Her mind gradually recalls a memory she’s had recently as she took a turn on one of the corners leading to the entrance of the main building. Eun So remembered when she agreed to take on this night shift a few days ago as her last duty in Framont, thinking that it would give her some time to peacefully plan and draft the next move of The Unbound—a secret organization she formed composed of scientists just like her to slowly disintegrate the lifespan timer program from the inside. Although, soon after, the serene night duty that she was anticipating was thrown out of the window when she saw a silhouette of a woman hiding behind the bushes, she carried on her hand a bag of some sort.

“Hey,” Eun So called out, the woman remained still. As the secretary approached nearer, the picture was clear to see and she was quick to figure out what was happening. The woman behind the bush was there to abandon the child on the basket, it was a tell-tale that she has heard for years while working as a timekeeper, but for Eun So, it was the first time she’s ever come across something like this. The short-haired girl was catching her breath as she came into a halt in front of the woman who wore a pretty well-made coat, a detail that didn’t seem to fit the scenario of her leaving a child. Eun So scanned the place, making sure that they were in a blind spot from the monitoring cameras all around the building. When she was certain of their safety, she stepped closer, finally catching a glimpse of the newborn who slept quietly despite the cold. “What are you doing out here?” Her eyebrows threaded together, heart breaking at the sight of a young woman with bloodshot eyes.

“I can’t raise her,” was the first thing she said, finally stepping into the moonlight, revealing her face, “But I can’t bring myself to leave her alone out in the cold either.” Tears began to fall from her tired eyes, her body trembled not because of the weather but because of the sheer gravity of the act she was about to commit.

“Why are you abandoning the baby?” Eun So thought that it was a no-brainer question, but she still had to know the reason why the woman was giving her child away when it clearly tears her apart to do so.

“Because she shouldn’t have been alive in the first place,” she explained, not going into details. The woman bit her lower lip and looked around, obviously in a hurry. “Please take care of her,” she told the dumbfounded scientist who started to enter a state of panic herself. “I know I’m giving her away, but please name her Kim Minjoo. If I ever make it out alive, I’ll look for her. Thank you.” She grabbed Eun So’s hand and shoved the handle of the basket into her palms, bowed deeply, and with a great sense of urgency, turned to flee the place. Fortunately, Eun So’s reflexes didn’t betray her. She reached for the newborn’s mother; her hand firmly grasped the woman’s wrist.

“Are you in danger? Maybe I can help you,” She told the mother who only grew more afraid with each second.

“That child is a mistake of a love affair that shouldn’t have happened. His wife’s people are looking for me. They’re going to kill me if they find me. Please, this is the least that I can do for that child—make sure that she’s not going to die alone.” This time, Eun So released her grip, the woman in desperation breaks free and ran away into the abyss. The secretary stood still, as if she’d been nailed on the ground, unable to digest the series of events that unfolded before her. The uneven surface of the handle felt rough against her skin, and with every passing moment the basket became heavier in her hand.

After what seemed like an eternity, Eun So clocked in, and turned to see the newborn once again. She was still fast asleep; unaware of the fact that she had just been left by her birth mother, so oblivious to the life that’s waiting for her. She closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh; there was no other choice for Eun So but to take the child in for the night, maybe even put on her lifespan timer.

“Let’s get you warm,” she